Ever had one of those odd things happen?

You know, a very weird coincidence, which you know is just a coincidence because it has to be, I mean what else is there, right?

There isn’t some magical being out there in the universe saying, “Right, it’s your turn Mr Foster. Today I’m gunna line everything up for you and spook you out so much you’re actually going to believe there is no such thing as a coincidence.”

I mean there isn’t a magical being, right?

Please tell me there isn’t, ’cause I’m seriously beginning to wonder.

Here’s why…

On Tuesday 24th February I fired off an email I’d wanted to do for ages, but never quite got around too. – Okay so that was yonks ago, bear with me. I actually began writing this post at the end of February, but if you’ve read yesterday’s post you’ll know where I am with things! – Anyway, I emailed the MDF Bipolar Organisation in reponse to a note in their December Newsletter about helping with requests for information from the media. (ie research for articles, etc.) I introduced myself, and my blog, and said I’d be more than happy to help should anybody wish to speak to me.

The following day I made a list of all the plays I wanted to read, since I have about half a dozen or so collections from various playwrights on loan from various libraries at any one time. Top of the list, ie the first book I picked up, was a compilation of Lee Hall’s. (Lee wrote Billy Elliot). One of the plays entitled Two’s Company is a monologue, and since I’d spent most of the day writing various scenes, all monologues, and since I had read a number of them recently too, I thought it would be a good idea to read this one of Lee’s.

So that evening I did. And very good too.

Still with me? Great!

Thursday morning, and a I get phone call from a guy called ‘Twink’ at the MDF. He’s a bit spooked ’cause for the first time ever, a theatre has just contacted him, I mean its normally magazines and the like, but no, within a day or two of a playwright contacting him re talking about bipolar, a theatre contacts him wondering if he knew someone who could talk to them about the disorder.

I’m excited, ’cause I’d love to go and meet some professional actors and help them understand bipolar. Naturally, I get even more exicited when it turns out the theatre in question just happens to be the Royal Court in London.

A few emails and phone calls later and it’s all sorted.

The following Monday (March 2nd) I went to Sloane Square on the tube and met with the Director and cast of Tusk Tusk a new play by Polly Stenham which they had just begun rehearsing.

The play centres around three siblings whose mother has disappeared again. It is sort of implied that she has a bipolar disorder (though to be fair you would have to know about bipolar to get this, since it isn’t mentioned in the text at all), and although she doesn’t actually appear in play, the director thought it would be a very good idea for the actors to find out what it would have been like for their characters to experience the mother’s condition.

The director was Jeremy Herrin, and here’s where I spook you out.

According to the notes at the beginning of Two’s Company, (the play I had read on the Wednesday night), it was first performed at the Live Theatre Newcastle in 2000, and was directed by?

Yep, you’ve guessed it, Jeremy Herrin.

Sufficiently spooked? I know I was.

Well, I had a great time chatting away and answering their questions. And the hour went all too quickly. The theatre paid my travel expenses and as a thankyou gave me two complimentary tickets for the show.

So last Thusday (April 9th), Rich and I went up to London and walked from Waterloo to Sloane Square and up goodness knows how many flights of stairs at the Royal Court (into the roof!) to watch a matinee performance ofTusk Tusk in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs – a small studio theatre space seating about a hundred or so.

The set was amazing; a complete basement studio flat with ceiling, window, integrated kitchen and a front door.

The lighting was so good I was convinced at first that the window was a real one looking out onto a brick wall. (It actually sort of fitted with my perception of where I was in the building in relation to the one next door, if you see what I mean, and I thought they had incorporated the real window into the set!)

The sound was great; you could actually here the traffic go past in the distance whenever the front door was opened, oh and I don’t know if it was deliberate or not, but there was a definite draft of cooler air too!)

The acting/direction was brilliant with the principals (Bel Powey – Maggie, and Toby Regbo – Eliot) having their professional stage debuts. And very convincing they were too. Excellent performances.

A highlight for me was paying £3 for the play text and discovering my name listed in the thankyous under the cast and production crew!

After the show, Rich and I had a quick look in Peter Jones, (where I strangely enough wondered how easy it would be to jump from the top of the central atrium and impale yourself on the poles below – aware obviously that my thought processes had changed significantly) and then walked the length of the Kings Road before doubling back on ourselves and walking along the Thames to Waterloo.

Rich: Oh look there’s MFI.
Paul: Er no, Darling. I think you mean MI5.

I was pretty quiet for most of the walk, I have to admit. Mainly because I was seriously wearing myself out and aware of my progressive slide down again, but partly also because I want to be a good writer, and I knew after watching that play, I had one hell of a long way to go.

One day, I will have a play produced at the Royal Court. I’m determined to. I will – just wait and see.

Though I admit, judging by my first experience of watching a play there, you could be waiting a long time.

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Tusk Tusk by Polly Stenham is on at the Royal Court until May 2nd, 2009. Mind you, it’s sold out. And I’m not surprised. It is brilliant.